How to Write an Operational Guide for Highly Technical People

Writing technical material is challenging. Knowing the audience and its needs is critical. Planning and preparation before beginning to write is the key to success.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Access to Subject-matter experts (SMEs)
• Access to the product, program, or process to be documented.
• Word processing capability
• A positive attitude

1. Determine who the audience is by answering the following questions:
   Who will read the document? What are the readers' professions? What is their educational level? What is the readers' primary language? Learn as much about the audience as you can. This will help you avoid either boring them to tears or talking over their heads.

2. Determine the scope of the project by answering the following questions:
   What will the readers do with the document? Will they use it as step-by-step directions, or refer to it periodically as needed? What aspects of the program, process, or equipment do they already know about? How much do they know about it?

3. Determine the style of document to write. What kind of document do they need? Examples of possible document styles include manuals, charts, tables, flow charts, and pocket guides. Choose the style that fits the needs of the audience and how the audience will use it.

4. Determine the deliverables for the project. Deliverables may be any or all of the following: electronic files, CDs, DVDs, printed proof documents, bound copies, pre-press ready files.

5. Find out what materials already exist. Oftentimes there is a draft or a procedure manual that may be out of date or obsolete. Don't re-invent the wheel if you don't have to!

6. Consult with the potential users or subject matter experts (SMEs) about what the document should include. Create a "laundry list" of topics to cover.

7. Order the laundry list logically for the way the reader will use the document. If the reader will follow it step-by-step, arrange the topics in the order they will be completed. If readers will refer to it occasionally, order the topics so that those needed most frequently are first, on the front, or at the top.

8. For each individual topic in the laundry list, make another list of information that needs to be included. Again, consult potential users and SMEs to find out what they need and want to know.

9. Begin with the first topic and draft the first section of the document. Ask a potential user or SME to read the draft and make comments and suggestions and then return it to you.

10. Continue drafting topic by topic, giving each draft to a reader for critique and suggestions as you complete it.

11. As reader(s) return the drafts with comments, revise and refine the text, incorporating their suggestions.

12. When you have compiled the entire document, give it to a potential user who has never seen any part of the document before and ask for comments and suggestions.

13. Proofread the document, or have it proofread.

14. Prepare the deliverables.

15. Deliver the deliverables. If they are going to an organization or person who not your employer, get an itemized receipt showing the date, time, and specific items delivered.

Tips & Warnings

• There is no knowledge more important than knowing who the audience is. The most complete document in the world is useless if the audience cannot read it.
• Do not begin writing before Step 8! Every minute spent planning will save hours or days of wasted writing.